Search Box for a Website

[sshrop]

Hello,

I have a need for a search box on my website.  I need for clients to be able to search for houses in a certain town or area.  I need it to pull up the houses for them to view.  I am just getting started with php and wondered what they would be called so I can research how to create it.

Thanks for any help...

 

[craygo]

Will they be searching a database for the information???

Are you looking for a search for a keyword and then a catagory to search that keyword on???

 

Ray

[sshrop]

I'm up for discussion.  Which do you think would be better?  I am in the development stage of the site right now.  It is a "For Sale By Owner" real estate site.  There will be houses listed on the site that are for sale.  They are in 5 different counties.  They also have ID #'s.  I am looking for a way for clients visiting the site to find either an ID number or a house in a certain county, city etc. 

I usually use dreamweaver to design sites and never really used php.  I know there are a lot of benefits of php and I would like to learn.  I guess I really need the easiest solution for now and then after I learn a little more I could upgrade it.  I would like for the results of the search to pull up on a page with the houses listed. 

[craygo]

OK lets say you have a database called "realestate" and in that database you have a table called "listings"

in the table you have a couple fields called

 

property_ID AND county

 

Granted they can be whatever you want to call them but for this example I will code using the above.

 

<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
// Database settings
$dbhost = 'localhost';
$dbname = 'realestate';
$dbuser = 'xxxxxxxx';
$dbpass = 'xxxxxxxx';
// Make connection to database
$mysql_conn = @mysql_connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass) or die("Could not connect to Mysql Server");
@mysql_select_db($dbname, $mysql_conn) or die("Could not connect to Database");

$keyword = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['keyword']);
$field = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['fieldname']);

$sql = "SELECT * FROM listings WHERE $field LIKE '%$keyword%'";
$res = mysql_query($sql) or die (mysql_error());
  while($r=mysql_fetch_assoc($res)){
  echo $r['property_ID'].", ".$r['county']."<br />";
  // any other fields list them below


  }
} else {
?>
<form action="<? echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>" method=POST>
<table width=500 align=center>
  <tr>
    <td width=250>Keyword:  <input type=text name=keyword /></td>
    <td width=250>Search By:  
      <select name=fieldname>
<?php
$fields = array(0 => "--Select by--", "property_ID" => "Property ID", "county" => "County");
foreach($fields as $key => $value){
  echo "<option value=\"".$key."\">$value</option>";
}
?>
      </select>
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>
</form>
<?php
}
?>

 

Ray

 

[sshrop]

Thank you soooo much!  This gives me the place I needed to start.  I am intrigued by php and look forward to using it more.    I appreciate your help.

[boo_lolly]

craygo's a damn good helper.

[sr20rps13]

Personally, I would go attack it this way:

 

Create a database called real estate.

Create a table called details.

Create columns with details such as price, the url of the picture of the house, size, etc...

Create a form that searches the table and returns the result.

Create a form to add your submissions or you can do it through phpmyadmin.

 

It shouldn't take too long if you've got it all planned out.

[craygo]

Thanks boo!!! 

 

Ray